Prozac for Panic Disorder User Reviews (Page 3)

• edd...
• August 25, 2015

"Cured my panic disorder, which was huge. Also leveled me off emotionally. But... sexual dysfunction is definitely an issue. I also seem to have a lack of empathy for others that I don't like. Overall, though, I've been helped by this med."

• Bri...
• June 11, 2017

"Omg, I'm glad I stuck to this medication. Words can't describe how much better I feel after 3 weeks of taking it. I had to boost myself up to 40 mg, and I will be honest and let my doctor know. Now I feel so leveled, clear-minded, and naturally happy. I feel like myself. I even have more energy. I take Gabapentin 3 times a day, Prozac as soon as I wake up, and Seroquel for sleep. If you are really mentally ill, Prozac is the PERFECT medicine. It's a MIRACLE!"

• Gwe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 8, 2019

"I took 10 mg of Prozac for 12 days. Days 1-9 were pretty good. I was nauseous and threw up a few times, but I expected that. Day 10, the first of the panic attacks hit. It lasted for 6 hours. 6 hours of uncontrollable crying, shaking, and vomiting. My doctor took me off the Prozac 2 days later. Today is 1 week without the Prozac, and I am still having intense panic attacks and vomiting almost all day, every day. I have no idea how long this will last, but it's ruining my life. I can't drive or take care of my children. My husband has had to take time off of work, and I've lost almost 10 pounds. Worst thing I ever did."

• Pan...
• September 15, 2015

"I have been taking Prozac, going on week 2 now. The symptoms are almost unbearable. My stomach gets upset, can barely eat. I can't even sleep at all. It's like I am tired... but I can't sleep. And I feel tired all day. The one thing I can't stand... is the lightheaded feeling, and I am shaky all the time. It gets bad..... I'm about ready to throw this medication in the trash. The symptoms are almost as bad as my anxiety attacks. In fact... it makes it worse."

• SBC...
• August 7, 2015

"The things that bothered me before Prozac were greatly enhanced once I was on Prozac. If a normal panic attack was a 5 out of 10 before Prozac, then after, they were 100. My thoughts became very irrational, as well as a sense of overwhelming doom. I have been off the meds for three days, and I am just starting to settle some."

• 13c...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 29, 2017

"Worked very well for me for about ten years, then for some unknown reason, it just stopped doing its job. This drug and Elavil are the only two out of the handful of meds I have used that actually work and have no nasty side effects. I would recommend this to anyone suffering from panic, and if it does not work for you, try Elavil next. If it wasn't for these two meds, life would be absolute crap!"

• Crv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2022

"Prozac is a lifesaver. But it didn’t feel like that at first. The medication can actually increase anxiety in some people, and thankfully, I had some Klonopin to soothe the transition. It took me four full weeks before I actually felt a change. No panic or excessive thoughts. It’s a great feeling. A sexual issue is delayed orgasm, but I don’t consider that a negative. No other side effect to speak of."

• Sam...
• August 1, 2013

"One of the few antidepressants I can tolerate. Most cause major sleep disorders, but with Prozac I don't have a problem. Not really sure if it helps much with panic attacks, I've tried 20 mg and 40 mg, sometimes 40 mg seems to be a bit much."

• Kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 3, 2021

"I am currently on my second week of Prozac/Fluoxetine, and honestly, I can already start seeing the changes. The first 4 or 5 days were very emotionally draining, I had heightened anxiety and trouble staying asleep, along with the common side effects such as headaches, nausea, and lack of appetite. But now I feel like my body is getting used to it. The headaches are slowly disappearing, the nausea is subsiding, and the heightened anxiety isn’t such a problem anymore, and I can successfully say I haven’t had a panic attack since I started taking it. It’s hard in the beginning to stick to, trust me, I thought of quitting many times! But it’s worth powering through!"

• ric...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 27, 2022

"Thought I would share my experience as I also came here to look for an answer. I've suffered with panic attacks since I was 18, I'm 33 now. It seemed to have disappeared the last few years, but in January, it came back worse than ever. I really thought I was having a heart attack on multiple occasions. I could not tell myself this is a panic attack, even though deep down I knew it was. The pain in my chest was a squeezing pain, it's the worst feeling I've ever felt. Fluoxetine does work. It's been around 6 weeks now, and I'm feeling good. The first 2 weeks are pretty bad, it is like getting a tattoo, it is bearable. I was honest with my work, and they let me come and go over the first 2 weeks. I kept diazepam in my pocket for the first 2 weeks, as the fluoxetine does not help straight away. I was prescribed 40 mg a day, but I took 20 mg before bed. Very real strange side effect, but sometimes funny dreams! Hope this helps someone get through the start of this medication. 10/10 for panic disorder."

• sic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 6, 2023

"I was on Zoloft 250 mg/sertraline for 3 months, and it didn't help my anxiety and panic attacks. I'm on day 4 of Prozac 20 mg, and I have had severe anxiety and had one massive panic attack on day 3. Just want to know what other sufferers experienced on Prozac."

• Mic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 5, 2019

"I took Prozac in my 30s for what was thought to be panic disorder. Years later, I was diagnosed with Asperger's and weaned off the Prozac. Now, 10 years after that, I am in perimenopause, and my GP prescribed the Prozac again to help with mood swings, IBS, and insomnia. And it does, but for the last couple of periods, and only during the period week, I have had several panic attacks every night, even when 'Aunt Flow' did not show up. They are worse than when I was younger. I have been to the ER by ambulance several times with heart attack-like symptoms. The panic attacks wake me up every couple of hours, and on my Sleep Cycle app, it looks like it happens on the upswing of the REM cycle. But one day I did not drink coffee, that night I did still wake up a couple of times with a racing heartbeat, but it subsided quickly with deep breathing, and there were no other symptoms. If quitting coffee doesn't help, then I will have to get back with my psychiatrist on what to try next."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 11, 2019

"I struggle with severe anxiety and panic attacks, as well as depression. I was on Zoloft (sertraline) for about two years and found myself feeling pretty good, so I decided to stop taking it. After starting university, however, I found that my anxiety was getting to an unbearable state, and so I went to my doctor, and she prescribed me Prozac. At first, I had very, very adverse side effects. I had tremors and super bad anxiety. After a while, I noticed less frequency in my panic attacks, but unfortunately, my mood was absolutely brutal. I was constantly depressed, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, thought really dark thoughts very often, felt agitated and irritated constantly. I literally felt like I wanted to die, like I literally had no choice because the pain was so unbearable. I am now off the medication, and I feel as though a bag of bricks has been lifted from my shoulders. I wouldn’t recommend this medication if you are prone to depressive thoughts or if you are young like me (I’m 19)."

• Aan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 3, 2021

"My MD put me on Prozac for OCD thoughts and anxiety/panic disorder (I have OCD related to medical illness, and every pain in my body may be cancer, which led to severe anxiety/panic). He started me on 20mg. Two days in, I was waking up in the middle of the night sweating, racing heart, had to take a Xanax to just relax. Then I started with jitters/tremors, which did not help my anxiety related to medical issues (a Google search on tremors took me to all sorts of illnesses, which fueled my anxiety). I had a full-blown panic attack at work by day 5. People say to ride this out, there is no way I can do this for another 2-4 weeks. Felt like it was the end of me yesterday and briefly thought it would be better if I did, because I can't live like this. Last night I was up at 2 AM again with racing thoughts/heart, sweating, shaking, had to take 0.25 mg of Xanax to go back to bed. Did not take my Prozac today. I haven't had panicky thoughts, just feeling some jitteriness."

• Tia...
• April 20, 2017

"It is April 20th, 2017. I started taking Prozac in January 2017. I hated Prozac. I was never depressed in the first place to begin with. My psychiatrist prescribed me the pills. They did not work for me. I have not been taking the pills since April 17th. So it's been 3 days, and I feel better and am beginning to be back to my normal ways and more alert and less depressed. I have read online that people who stopped taking it feel good at first, then it starts to kick in like emotions and stuff trying to get it out of your system. I guess withdrawal? But I couldn't do Prozac anymore. Made me VERY depressed and annoyed all the time. Didn't work for me."

• LBa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 24, 2020

"I was experiencing OCD, general anxiety, and panic attacks. I was put on Prozac for 2 weeks. After a few days, my symptoms got bad. I still can't eat, was still experiencing weird dreams, etc. It was like someone put a magnifying glass over every symptom I was experiencing. I was previously on Lexapro and never experienced anything close to what I just experienced with Prozac. Scared the hell out of me."

• Ril...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 16, 2016

"Having horrible anxiety that comes and goes, especially if things change. As a child, I was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, but my mom disagreed. I was very anxious and unable to concentrate and unable to become a good student, so I suffered tremendously. Started Prozac 20 mg and hope it helps. I am 64 and just stopped working full time because my anxiety kicked in."

• Ska...
• April 10, 2018

"This med is very good. I went from almost quitting my job to enjoying life again. This is my fourth week on it. 20 mg a day. The first two weeks were difficult, but right now my panic attacks are mild, as well as my anxiety. I hope it stays that way. My doctor told me I would have to take it for at least 6 months, which worries me a bit. Does anyone know any natural remedies for panic attacks and anxiety? I want to be free from meds. Plus, meds may stop working anytime. Please help!"

• Kia...
• May 20, 2019

"I started taking Prozac mostly for my panic attacks but a little bit for my anxiety and depression as well. I can't say my experience was all bad because I was going through a rough time, and it seemed to make my panic attacks a bit more manageable and less intense, but I think for me the cons outweighed the pros. The first time I started it, I stopped eating for nearly two weeks, which caused me to lose weight. Then the dose was upped from 10 mg to 20 mg, and I stopped eating for another two weeks. The anxiety was pretty bad for the first two weeks as well. After the first couple of weeks, the side effects calmed down to an extent. I still had pretty bad sexual problems, a lot of heartburn, night sweats, and problems sleeping. So while the side effects weren't major, I tried getting off it due to my anxiety seemingly doing better and the side effects. I was nervous to get off, but it seems like I haven't had any odd effects from stopping, so that's good. My anxiety is still low, so for now, I'll stay off."

• Dip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 24, 2017

"Took Paxil for the past 5 years for anxiety/depression/panic. Stopped it 1 year ago to pursue pregnancy. I did well for the 1st 6-8 months but then began to fall apart. Anxiety, panic attacks, depression all returned. I was put on Prozac because it's pregnancy-friendly about 1 week ago. I've had the worst reflux/heartburn I've ever had in my life. I take the pill at night because it made me sleepy the 1st day when I took it in the morning. I'm currently on day 8, the reflux is slightly better, but I have increased anxiety/panic. I hadn't had this the 1st week. Does anyone have similar stories? I appreciate feedback. I'm not sure whether to stick it out on Prozac or switch to a different med."

• Mol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 25, 2021

"I have taken Prozac on a short-term basis for anxiety and depression a handful of times. It had a minimal effect on lessening my anxiety and seemed to increase depression. I recently took it for 5 weeks, and while I wasn’t experiencing full-blown panic attacks, I still felt edgy, and it was blunting my emotions to the point I felt numb or like a zombie. I also experienced diarrhea and an upset stomach. My doctor switched me to Lexapro, and I’m so glad I stuck it out and tried a different SSRI, as it has been a life changer for me."

• Ree...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 28, 2021

"Started Prozac for PMDD and panic disorder. Stopped after two weeks of bad side effects. Usually felt the medication side effects kick in about 1 hour after taking it. Felt weighed down, slow breathing, fuzzy-headed, heavy eyes—sedated. It was awful. Triggered three panic attacks on day 13. Side effects occur randomly throughout the day. Feeling drowsy to the point where I’d need to sink down and close my eyes for a minute during conversation. Felt like narcolepsy. Out and then awake in two minutes. Drowsiness, diarrhea, increased anxiety, emotionally detached during the first week. Pros: I felt good around 5 pm and slept fine. Felt good in the morning up until an hour after taking my prescribed dose. Cons: Side effects randomly appearing throughout the day. Severe drowsiness, zoned out, panic attacks, flat moods."

• Rmp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2022

"I was given Prozac (currently on 10 mg) for anxiety/panic, which caused mild depression. This all started about six months ago after a move to a new state. I was terrified. I didn’t know what was wrong with me, thought I was dying, etc. I reached out for help as this was something I’ve never experienced in my 35 years of life. Tried Lexapro first for about two months with zero improvement, it actually made things worse. Then I tried Zoloft. Zoloft made me angry at everything, and I am not one who is ever angry, especially for no reason. I even tried Lamictal off-label, and that was awful too. After not trying anything for about a month and a half, my NP and I decided to try Prozac. It’s only been a little over a week, but I’m feeling pretty good about it so far. I haven’t noticed any massive improvements yet, but I know these meds can sometimes take weeks to months to really work."

• LOL...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 28, 2019

"I have Major Depression and Panic Disorder. It seems like every antidepressant and benzo I have tried just does not work. My Dr. has now just prescribed me Fluoxetine (Prozac) 10 mg, to go along with my Klonopin 1 mg that I had been taking for 6 years (I eventually developed a tolerance to my Klonopin, so it stopped working properly). After being on Prozac for nearly 4 months now, I have gone through horrible side effects of nausea, diarrhea, insomnia, and head exploding syndrome. I am in a constant fog. I get confused very easily and 'space out' all the time. The only beneficial thing I have gotten out of taking Prozac is that I have somewhat better control over my emotions."

• LAa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 16, 2019

"I started taking 10 mg of Prozac on April 24, 2019. It has been the worst experience of my life! The first few weeks, I felt wonderful, but then my upper lip started getting red bumps, sores on my lips, a weird taste, and sensitivity to spicy food. My lips are still somewhat swollen. Lips horribly chapped, mouth dry. Anxiety attacks like I’ve never had before and now depressed. I need off of this rubbish now. Waiting till Thursday to see my doctor."